Patti (Amritsar), July 11
Widespread violence, a new phenomenon in the SGPC elections, today left an independent candidate, an SHO, an ASI and many others injured due to group clashes, firing and stone-pelting incidents in various parts of the border belt, while two persons died due to consumption of hooch at Verka, an urban fringe of Amritsar City.

Since the enactment of the Sikh Gurdwara Act, this is for the first time that anybody has lost life due to consumption of liquor on an SGPC polling day.

At least 30 persons, including former Akali minister Nirmal Singh Kahlon and an Independent candidate, were booked in connection with poll violence in the border belt.

Polling in the belt came to be less than 40 per cent – the lowest in the recent history of SGPC elections. While Amritsar City (East) recorded the lowest polling with 22.4 per cent, Jandiala Guru polled the highest at 50 per cent. Till noon, polling in Amritsar City was low which showed that voters were not interested in exercising their franchise as they were disillusioned with the affairs of the SGPC and inaction on the part of Jathedar of Akal Takht who failed to implement the ‘religious code’ pronounced by him before the polling.

In another incident , Bhai Ranjit Singh, former Jathedar of Akal Takht, and Prof Sarchand Singh, secretary-general, Sikh Students Federation, entered into an altercation during polling which created an unsavoury situation in a polling booth of the city.

Most of the violence was the result of conflicting instructions received by presiding officers about the identification of voters. While the previous instructions of the Gurdwara Election Commission had directed that only ‘keshadharis’ could cast their votes, later instructions stated that all voters who were enrolled in the voter lists should be allowed to cast votes. At many places, voters who had cut their hair were allowed to cast votes in violation of the Sikh the Gurdwara Act.

In Amritsar City, a clash between two groups left Mr Satbir Singh, an Independent candidate supported by the Dal Khalsa, injured due to stabbing. Sapinder Singh and Nikka Singh of the SSF were rounded up in connection with the clash.

Stray incidents of violence were also reported from Chowk Rattan Singh, Khadoor Sahib and Kot Khalsa over the identification of voters.

Narinder Singh and Pritam Singh, both residents of Nai Abadi (Verka), died after consuming hooch. The Tehsildar-cum-Executive Magistrate said the bodies were found from the roadside in Verka . He said as per the reports collected from eyewitnesses, the two were addicts and might have died due to excess consumption of hooch.

In Patti, two SAD supporters — Municipal Council president Jasbir Singh Shaheed and Mr Parmjit Singh — were injured.

Mr Adesh Partap Singh Kairon, son-in-law of Mr Parkash Singh Badal and former Akali minister, exchanged heated words with a senior police officer. Later, supporters of Mr Harminder Singh Gill and Mr Tarlok Singh Chakwalia, both Congress leaders clashed with SAD workers. Stone-pelting, and sticks were freely used in the clash.

Faridkot: Apart from a couple of untoward incidents at Kotkapura, polling was peaceful for the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee elections in the district. However, the voter turnout was low in both urban as well as rural areas.

At polling station No 16 in Kotkapura, ballot papers were torn after Panthic Morcha supporters opposed polling by Sehajdharis. There were also reports of attempt for bogus voting at polling station No 12 in Kotkapura.

Ferozepore: Polling was peaceful in the district where mine candidates are contesting from seven segments. Mr Ranjit Singh, DC-cum-District Electoral Officer, said in all 45 per cent votes were polled at 462 polling stations in the district.

At Peermohammed village, a voter tried to ran away with the ballot paper but was apprehended by the police.

Jalandhar: Amidst minor incidents of altercations between the polling staff and the candidates, polling was held peacefully.

The turnout remained nearly 40 per cent for the eight out of the nine SGPC constituencies as Mr Ranjit Singh Daroli had been declared elected unanimously from Adampur constituency.

Election process for Lohian, Kartarpur and two constituencies each in Jalandhar, Phillaur and Nakodar started at 7 am as per schedule and continued till 4 pm. Voting was withheld for almost an hour this morning at Guru Teg Bahadur Nagar today as heated arguments had ensued between the candidate from Akali Dal (Badal) and Mr Jagjit Singh Gaba, an Independent candidate, over their candidatures.

In Kapurthala district, poll percentage was around 55 per cent. Several Sikh families from the ward No 6 of the Bhulath constituency had to go back home without exercising the franchise as they could not find their names in the voters’ list.

Moga: Polling had been largely peaceful and no untoward incident was reported from any part of the district.

Urban voters didn’t show much enthusiasm and the voter turnout was low in the city areas, while the scenario was a little better in rural areas with people lining up at the polling stations.

Phagwara: More than 50 per cent polling has been reported in the Phagwara-Sultanpur Lodhi SGPC constituency today with rural areas showing more enthusiasm.

The polling started on a very sluggish note with just 12 per cent in first few hours. Several voters complained that their names were missing in the voters’ lists and had to return disappointed. Some even alleged that their names had been willfully deleted.

Heavy downpour and storm during the concluding hour of the polling also affected the percentage.

Sangrur: About 60 per cent votes were polled in the SGPC elections for 16 seats of the 11 constituencies in the Sangrur district today.

Bathinda: Former Power Minister and Bathinda SAD unit president Sikander Singh Maluka and his son Gurpreet Singh Maluka, Bathinda SAD youth general secretary, were booked for intimidating and beating up Davinder Puri, a supporter of rebel SAD candidate from the Bhagta Bhai ka seat Mr Phumman Singh. The case was registered at the Dayalpura police station.

On the other hand, Mr Sikander Singh Maluka said the complaint was baseless.

He would meet the SSP of Bathinda on Monday in this regard and would tell him the exact position, he added.